The White City

The Realms:
There are 2 realms, the Physical realm where mortal beings live, and the Ethereal Realm in which magic and spiritual entities reside
Beings that have crossed over from the ethereal realm are often chaotic neutral, being mostly animalistic. Any intelligent creatures making contact with the mortal realm tend to be hostile or self serving. It is very rare to find something genuinely good from the ethereal realm.

The Sundering:
The barrier between the physical and ethereal realms cracked about 400 years ago. Up until this time humans were the world’s only population and they had no access to magic. After The Sundering humanity mutated drastically, bringing forth the Tieflings and the Shades. The Sundering also unleashed magic on the world allowing technology to advance dramatically.

Religion:
For most of the pre-Sundering history the world was without a major religion. It wasn’t until the Sundering that several cults and “prophets” began popping up in great number. (Clerics, monks, and paladins are oddities and need to have a solid reasoning for being such)

The Great War:
A hundred years ago this war was fought between a growing nation of human elitists known as The Grey Hand and the unified power of the city states. It was finally brought to resolution under the command of Zaleh Ashyras. She was later instated as the first Grand Empress.

Government:
The world before the Sundering was broken up into warring city states. It wasn’t until after the Great War that the world unified under one banner. The collective nations now call themselves The Empire and are headed by The Grand Empress. The Imperial Council is the collection of representatives from each nation of the world.

Races:
The races are all originated from humans in some way. Whether they are mutated humans or created by humans, they can all link themselves to that race.

Humans:
The original population of the world. They take up about 30% of the populations and tend to be very tenacious and hardworking.

Tieflings:
Making up over a third of the world’s population, many of the Tieflings have used their guile and charisma to work their way into prestigious roles around the world. The Imperial Family is in fact all tiefling.

Changelings:
Living in the darker areas of the world they make up 20% of the world’s population. They tend to keep to themselves and be very introverted.

Shifters:
Their population is uknown as they don’t tend to stay in one area for long. They travel in nomdic packs and have very tight knit families. They tend to be just as at home in the wilderness as they are in cities.

Warforged:
They were originally created by the Grey Hand to supplement their numbers in the Great War. Since then many of them have gained freewill and live peaceful lives, though people still see them as imposing and violent creatures. They are very goal oriented, needing some sort of job to keep them satisfied. Because of their original function as war machines they tend to be employed as police officers and guards. They are about 5% of the world’s population.

The World Today:
To celebrate the first century of peace since The Great War, the Empire has decided to hold the first World’s Fair. The White City as it has come to be called is soon to become the center of the modern world. Designed by the Imperial Architect Daniel Burnham the vast fairground is the pinnacle of art, science and culture. Yet the city’s beauty hides dark secrets.